The subject of the invention is a crimping tool for crimping a contact onto an end of an electric wire. The crimping tool comprises a first tool part having a first crimping die and a plurality of first crimping elements, a second tool part having a second crimping die and a plurality of second crimping elements, at least one first actuator being movable relative to the first crimping die along an actuation axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, wherein said at least one first actuator actuates said first crimping elements moving said first crimping elements in a radial direction, and at least one second actuator being movable relative to the second crimping die along said actuation axis, wherein said at least one second actuator actuates said second crimping elements moving said second crimping elements in a radial direction.
Such crimping tools are used for various applications, for instance for attaching a shield connector to the shielding sheath of a shielded cable by a crimping process. One conventional connection between a shielding contact and the shielding sheath is characterized by a dual tubular structure of the shielding connector. One tube, a ferrule, is a separate component and sandwiches the sheath between the ferrule and a tubular part of the shielding connector. Crimping the ferrule around the sheath and the tubular part of a shield connector provides a high retention force and a safe electrical connection.
Such crimping tools are known from FR 1 316 151 A and DE 198 14 474 C1.
Another crimping tool is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,623 A. This crimping tool is used for crimping a ferrule portion of a tube fitting around an elastomeric hose. The tool has an upper and a lower frame. The upper frame has a means for stabilizing an upper die carrier which carries an upper die insert. The lower frame carries a lower die insert. The upper die carrier can be moved along a vertical axis of the tool towards the lower frame. The upper frame and the lower frame can be pivoted to each other to allow a user to open and close the tool. For crimping the ferrule portion of a tube fit-ting around a hose a ferrule portion is positioned onto the hose and inserted into the tool such that the ferrule portion is transversely positioned across the lower die insert. The tool then is closed and the upper die carrier is actuated downwardly along the vertical axis compressing upper and lower die inserts around the ferrule portion. The die inserts comprise several crimping elements which are distributed around the ferrule. Between the crimping elements air gaps are provided wherein elastomeric impact absorbing fillers in the upper and the lower die inserts permit upper and lower die inserts to change shape by a movement in a circumferential direction relative to each other.
Another crimping tool is disclosed in DE 103 43 837 B3 comprising two tool parts for crimping a shield connector onto a shielding sheath and a connector tube. The crimping dies have opposing matrices each providing three rounded ribs which form indents into the shield connector. The crimping dies are moved towards each other along a vertical axis compressing the shielding contact onto the shielding sheath and the inner tubular member of the shielding contact sandwiching the shielding sheath between the tubular member and the shielding contact. When compressing the shielding contact first two ribs, which are arranged side by side to a central ribs, come into contact with the shielding contact. After the ribs, which come into contact with the shielding contact first, have been pressed against the shielding contact, forming indents into the shielding contact, the central ribs also come into contact with the shielding contact.
Both above mentioned crimping tools according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,623 A and DE 103 43 837 B3 do not avoid a tangential sliding movement of the crimping tool relative to the shielding contact in the area in which the crimping die contacts the shielding contact in an angle relative to the movement direction of the crimping dies.
Such a relative movement between the tool and the work piece to be crimped is avoided by a crimping tool according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,108 B2. The crimping tool includes a ring-shaped cam rotatably mounted about a jaw support. The inner side of the cam forms a track. The jaw support comprises grooves radial to an axis of the jaw support, wherein the cam can be rotated about the axis or the jaw support. Jaws are received within the grooves and can slide in the corresponding groove. The track of the cam is configured to cooperate with ends of the jaws to allow displacement of the jaws radial to the axis of rotation when said cam rotates about the jaw support. For this reason the distance between the track and the axis of rotation changes in circumferential direction so that for crimping the jaws are moved radially towards the axis of rotation by rotating the cam around the jaw support.